House Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program and House Gold Star Family Fellowship Program: Background Information
link to page 1 
Updated June 15, 2021
House Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program and House Gold
Star Family Fellowship Program: Background Information
House Wounded Warrior Fellowship
Figure 1. Appropriations for the Wounded Warrior
Program
Program by Fiscal Year
in millions of dollars
Overview, Origin, and Purpose
The House Wounded Warrior Program was established in
2008 by the leadership of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on House Administration. According to
House publications from that time, the goal of the program
is to assist wounded veterans in the transition to the civilian
workforce and to “make the House a model for other
federal, state and municipal agencies to employ these
talented, patriotic Americans to whom we are all greatly
indebted” (annual budget justifications; see also press
release announcing the program, issued February 27, 2008;
and H.Rept. 110-924).
Source: CRS analysis of legislative branch appropriations acts.
Notes: Includes any rescissions and sequestration. For an
The program provides two-year paid fellowships within the
explanation of the planned use in FY2010 of prior year unobligated
House of Representatives for disabled veterans. Fellows
funds, see the report accompanying the FY2010 legislative branch
may work in House Member offices either in Washington,
appropriations bil (H.Rept. 111-160).
DC, or in district offices, with the majority located in
district offices. The specific job duties may vary by office
The House requested $9.3 million for FY2022 for the
and are determined by the Member, although many fellows
Wounded Warrior Program and Gold Star Family
serve as caseworkers in district offices and focus on
Fellowship Program.
military and veterans’ issues.
Additional support for the program may be provided
The program is operated through the House of
through other House accounts. For example, as with other
Representatives Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO’s)
House employees, any government contributions for
office.
employee benefits are paid through the “Government
Contributions” line in the “Allowances and Expenses”
Funding for fellows’ salaries is separate from office budgets
portion of the appropriation for the House of
provided to Members through the Members’
Representatives, and not through the line-item for the
Representational Allowance (MRA). Fellows do not count
Wounded Warrior Program.
against the employment ceiling for Member offices.
All House Wounded Warrior Program expenditures are
Employment beyond the two-year fellowship is not
guaranteed, although some fellows have transitioned to full-
reported online in the quarterly Statement of Disbursements
time employment with the House.
of the House.
The program provides up to 120 two-year fellowships.
Qualifications for Eligibility
Funding
The House may establish criteria for participation in the
program.
The House Wounded Warrior Program is funded in the
“allowances and expenses” portion of the approp
The CAO’s
riation for
website states:
the House of Representatives in the annual legislative
Candidates must meet all four of the following
branch appropriations acts. Funding since inception in
requirements:
FY2009 is listed in Figure 1.
• Honorably discharged veteran; and
• Released from active duty within the last five
years; and
• T erminal pay grade at or below E-5 (for enlisted)
or O-3 (for officers); and
https://crsreports.congress.gov
House Wounded Warrior Fel ow ship Program and House Gold Star Family Fel ow ship Program: Background Information
• 20% or greater service-connected disability rating
employment, either with the House of Representatives or
OR Purple Heart recipient.
elsewhere (for example, see H.Rept. 111-160, H.Rept. 112-
For additional information on disability ratings and
148).
programs generally, see CRS Report R44837, Benefits for
Additionally, the overall number of authorized participants
Service-Disabled Veterans, coordinated by Heather M.
has increased over time. The Committee on House
Salazar, and CRS Report RL34751, Military Retirement:
Administration approved an expansion from 50 positions,
Back ground and Recent Developments, by Kristy N.
which was the authorized level since the program had
Kamarck.
begun, to 54 positions (H.Rept. 114-901), in October 2015.
Language in House Appropriations Committee reports
Pay for Wounded Warrior Fellows
indicated that the program received funding that could
The Wounded Warrior Program website states:
provide for up to an additional 31 positions in FY2018, for
a total of 85 positions (H.Rept. 115-199); up to 25
Salaries range from $41,134 to $54,324 depending on the
additional positions in FY2019, for a total of 110 positions
duties assigned and recommendations by the office or
(H.Rept. 115-696); and up to 10 additional positions in
Congressional Member hosting the Wounded Warrior.
FY2020, for a total of 120 positions (H.Rept. 116-64). The
Salaries for fellows follow the House Employees Schedule
new 120-position cap was mentioned in the FY2021 House
(HES), which is a classification system that applies to many
Appropriations Committee report (H.Rept. 116-447).
employees of officers of the House. The HES, including
revisions to the pay scale and position standards and
House Gold Star Family Fellowship
descriptions, is subject to the oversight of the Committee on
Program
House Administration.
The SFC Sean Cooley and SPC Christopher Horton
Selection and Placement of Wounded Warrior
Congressional Gold Star Family Fellowship Program was
Fellows
established pursuant to H.Res. 107 (116th Congress), which
was agreed to on October 29, 2019 (and amended by H.Res.
Available positions are listed on the House Wounded
812, agreed to on February 5, 2020, which modified
Warrior website and on https://www.usajobs.gov/. Positions
eligibility to include parents). The Committee on House
are allocated equally between majority and minority House
Administration promulgated regulations for the program
Members.
(Committee Resolutions 116-15 and 116-17).
Applicants may send the application and required
This program is also implemented by the House CAO.
documentation (including a current resume, last DD214
Fellowships are for one year. Funding for fellows’ salaries
form and a Disabled Veteran Civil Service Preference letter
is separate from office budgets provided to Members
indicating 20% or greater service-connected disability
through the Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA).
rating) to the House at
Fellows do not count against the employment ceiling for
housewoundedwarriors@mail.house.gov.
Member offices. The program may have up to 40 fellows,
with positions allocated equally between majority and
Applicants do not need to be residents of the Member’s
minority House Members.
district. Relocation expenses, however, cannot be
reimbursed.
Available positions are listed on the House Gold Star
Family Fellowship Program website and at
Additional Congressional Actions
https://www.usajobs.gov/. For additional information, see
https://cao.house.gov/gold-star.
Periodically, the House Appropriations Committee and the
Committee on House Administration have examined the
Ida A. Brudnick, Specialist on the Congress
operations of the Wounded Warrior program.
IF10652
Of particular interest has been assessing the program’s
success in assisting participants’ transition to civilian
https://crsreports.congress.gov
House Wounded Warrior Fel ow ship Program and House Gold Star Family Fel ow ship Program: Background Information
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permissio n of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10652 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED
Updated June 15, 2021
House Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program and House Gold
Star Family Fellowship Program: Background Information
House Wounded Warrior Fellowship
Figure 1. Appropriations for the Wounded Warrior
Program
Program by Fiscal Year
in millions of dollars
Overview, Origin, and Purpose
The House Wounded Warrior Program was established in
2008 by the leadership of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on House Administration. According to
House publications from that time, the goal of the program
is to assist wounded veterans in the transition to the civilian
workforce and to “make the House a model for other
federal, state and municipal agencies to employ these
talented, patriotic Americans to whom we are all greatly
indebted” (annual budget justifications; see also press
release announcing the program, issued February 27, 2008;
and H.Rept. 110-924).
Source: CRS analysis of legislative branch appropriations acts.
Notes: Includes any rescissions and sequestration. For an
The program provides two-year paid fellowships within the
explanation of the planned use in FY2010 of prior year unobligated
House of Representatives for disabled veterans. Fellows
funds, see the report accompanying the FY2010 legislative branch
may work in House Member offices either in Washington,
appropriations bil (H.Rept. 111-160).
DC, or in district offices, with the majority located in
district offices. The specific job duties may vary by office
The House requested $9.3 million for FY2022 for the
and are determined by the Member, although many fellows
Wounded Warrior Program and Gold Star Family
serve as caseworkers in district offices and focus on
Fellowship Program.
military and veterans’ issues.
Additional support for the program may be provided
The program is operated through the House of
through other House accounts. For example, as with other
Representatives Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO’s)
House employees, any government contributions for
office.
employee benefits are paid through the “Government
Contributions” line in the “Allowances and Expenses”
Funding for fellows’ salaries is separate from office budgets
portion of the appropriation for the House of
provided to Members through the Members’
Representatives, and not through the line-item for the
Representational Allowance (MRA). Fellows do not count
Wounded Warrior Program.
against the employment ceiling for Member offices.
All House Wounded Warrior Program expenditures are
Employment beyond the two-year fellowship is not
guaranteed, although some fellows have transitioned to full-
reported online in the quarterly Statement of Disbursements
time employment with the House.
of the House.
The program provides up to 120 two-year fellowships.
Qualifications for Eligibility
Funding
The House may establish criteria for participation in the
program.
The House Wounded Warrior Program is funded in the
“allowances and expenses” portion of the approp
The CAO’s
riation for
website states:
the House of Representatives in the annual legislative
Candidates must meet all four of the following
branch appropriations acts. Funding since inception in
requirements:
FY2009 is listed in Figure 1.
• Honorably discharged veteran; and
• Released from active duty within the last five
years; and
• T erminal pay grade at or below E-5 (for enlisted)
or O-3 (for officers); and
https://crsreports.congress.gov
House Wounded Warrior Fel ow ship Program and House Gold Star Family Fel ow ship Program: Background Information
• 20% or greater service-connected disability rating
employment, either with the House of Representatives or
OR Purple Heart recipient.
elsewhere (for example, see H.Rept. 111-160, H.Rept. 112-
For additional information on disability ratings and
148).
programs generally, see CRS Report R44837, Benefits for
Additionally, the overall number of authorized participants
Service-Disabled Veterans, coordinated by Heather M.
has increased over time. The Committee on House
Salazar, and CRS Report RL34751, Military Retirement:
Administration approved an expansion from 50 positions,
Back ground and Recent Developments, by Kristy N.
which was the authorized level since the program had
Kamarck.
begun, to 54 positions (H.Rept. 114-901), in October 2015.
Language in House Appropriations Committee reports
Pay for Wounded Warrior Fellows
indicated that the program received funding that could
The Wounded Warrior Program website states:
provide for up to an additional 31 positions in FY2018, for
a total of 85 positions (H.Rept. 115-199); up to 25
Salaries range from $41,134 to $54,324 depending on the
additional positions in FY2019, for a total of 110 positions
duties assigned and recommendations by the office or
(H.Rept. 115-696); and up to 10 additional positions in
Congressional Member hosting the Wounded Warrior.
FY2020, for a total of 120 positions (H.Rept. 116-64). The
Salaries for fellows follow the House Employees Schedule
new 120-position cap was mentioned in the FY2021 House
(HES), which is a classification system that applies to many
Appropriations Committee report (H.Rept. 116-447).
employees of officers of the House. The HES, including
revisions to the pay scale and position standards and
House Gold Star Family Fellowship
descriptions, is subject to the oversight of the Committee on
Program
House Administration.
The SFC Sean Cooley and SPC Christopher Horton
Selection and Placement of Wounded Warrior
Congressional Gold Star Family Fellowship Program was
Fellows
established pursuant to H.Res. 107 (116th Congress), which
was agreed to on October 29, 2019 (and amended by H.Res.
Available positions are listed on the House Wounded
812, agreed to on February 5, 2020, which modified
Warrior website and on https://www.usajobs.gov/. Positions
eligibility to include parents). The Committee on House
are allocated equally between majority and minority House
Administration promulgated regulations for the program
Members.
(Committee Resolutions 116-15 and 116-17).
Applicants may send the application and required
This program is also implemented by the House CAO.
documentation (including a current resume, last DD214
Fellowships are for one year. Funding for fellows’ salaries
form and a Disabled Veteran Civil Service Preference letter
is separate from office budgets provided to Members
indicating 20% or greater service-connected disability
through the Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA).
rating) to the House at
Fellows do not count against the employment ceiling for
housewoundedwarriors@mail.house.gov.
Member offices. The program may have up to 40 fellows,
with positions allocated equally between majority and
Applicants do not need to be residents of the Member’s
minority House Members.
district. Relocation expenses, however, cannot be
reimbursed.
Available positions are listed on the House Gold Star
Family Fellowship Program website and at
Additional Congressional Actions
https://www.usajobs.gov/. For additional information, see
https://cao.house.gov/gold-star.
Periodically, the House Appropriations Committee and the
Committee on House Administration have examined the
Ida A. Brudnick, Specialist on the Congress
operations of the Wounded Warrior program.
IF10652
Of particular interest has been assessing the program’s
success in assisting participants’ transition to civilian
https://crsreports.congress.gov
House Wounded Warrior Fel ow ship Program and House Gold Star Family Fel ow ship Program: Background Information
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permissio n of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10652 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED